Veterans Camp

Vision: A place of healing for those effected by trauma

Mission: Providing emotional and physical recovery, in the wilderness, year round. A safe natural and peaceful setting to help reconnect the mind and body, through education, service animals and building self-efficacy. Focusing on Disabled Veterans and Middle School aged boys from fatherless and disadvantaged homes

Camp Brown Bear Veterans Camp

We are pleased to announce that Camp Brown Bear now offers camps and retreats for those that have served and protected us. We have teamed up with several Kentucky organizations to help Veterans suffering from PTSD and TBI recover in a peaceful, relaxing and natural setting.

This was not part of our original concept for the camp and the desire to move in this direction emerged by opening the camp to veterans, who crossed our paths and were suffering, and simply observing the healing hand of nature. Since March of 2016 we have hosted multiple groups of veterans with PTSD, TBI and a myriad of other combat related injuries. During the days they participate in team building exercises, receive multiple types of holistic therapy, journal, canoe and kayak and take nature walks. The evenings spent around the camp fire in conversation, bonding, building camaraderie, watching the wood burn and listening to the noises of the fire and nature. Time and time again veterans who have spent the weekend tell us they experienced the best sleep they can remember while at the camp.

Suicide rates among veterans is reported at 22 each day and continues to increase. A post deployment risk factor is not having the camaraderie of the brotherhood; being thrown back into “normal” life with daily struggles and demands, but now with triggers and those around having the same expectations pre-deployment and naïve misunderstanding of consequential newly developed coping behaviors. The brotherhood (no matter what branch of service) coming together around Camp Brown Bear fires cannot be underestimated—no judgements—no pre-conceived expectations—being together in the present—learning how to live abundantly again.

Being a disabled Veteran suffering from PTSD and TBI I feel the most important thing veterans can take away from the retreat is how their brain and body process their trauma and why they are feeling the way they are. How every aspect of the recovery becomes more intense as the mind and body process trauma: nightmares get worse, night sweats get worse, depression gets worse, and anxiety gets worse; it’s an everyday struggle. But eventually these symptoms settle out and start to get less intense. Everyone is different, different experiences, different mental strength, different recovery time, this is not an easy road to maneuver and I think this is why we are losing so many veterans to suicide every day. It’s not talking about the past, as some would think, but learning what works to ease the symptoms, being in the present, and looking to the future, while the central nervous system works through the past in the subconscious.

We will include/provide traditional therapy, when needed, also non-traditional methods of treatment, equine therapy, yoga, meditation, physical therapy, message and service animal training. We are looking for interested organizations that can fill the need for acupuncture, music and art therapy.

Thanks, Steve.

Click here to donate to Camp Brown Bear!!

Camp Brown Bear is a not for profit 501c3 camp to help veterans suffering from PTSD/TBI and middle school aged boys from fatherless and disadvantaged homes. All campers expenses are paid for by donations and/or grants. To donate click the button above. Any amount will make a difference. All donations are tax deductible on current year taxes. Proceeds from Kodiak Camps and Outfitters help fund Camp Brown Bear.

Camp Brown Bear Story

Hello my name is Steven Brown, and I am the founder of Camp Brown Bear. Middle school aged boys from fatherless and disadvantaged homes can end up being at risk for a myriad of mental and/or societal problematic conditions. Disabled Veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury have high levels of anxiety, depression and psychosocial problems. We would like to be part of the solution, in part, by teaching the boys primitive living skills, how to build a shelter, a fire, collect water then make it drinkable, trap, process and cook animals, treat injuries and illness with wilderness first aid and land navigate with map and compass so they build confidence and self-efficacy thereby reducing their risk of being a harm to themselves or others. We immerse Veterans into the wilderness helping the camp prepare for the boys, all the while providing a healing environment for them (i.e. Equine Therapy, Service Animal Training, Yoga, Meditation, Nature Walks and evening fire side talks), give them a place to recuperate and sleep restfully to help process their trauma. Fredrick Douglass said "its easier to build strong children than to repair broken men" we plan to repair broken men as they help us build strong children.